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Wednesday, 19 December 2012

Karlie Kloss is a woman of multiple talents. From stepping into a plethora of minxy characters on the Victoria's Secret runway, to presenting MTV's House of Style and baking her high-demand cookies, Karlie has a lifestyle to envy, however busy it may be! Twenty-year-old Karlie has walked for every credible designer, be it Elie Saab, Marc Jacobs or Carolina Herrera. With her renowned catwalk grace and a modelling CV that could easily constitute the length of a short novel, it's hard to believe that she is merely one year older than me! Chicago-born Karlie started out as a ballet dancer, attending Caston’s Ballet Academie. At thirteen, she made an impression on model scouts Jeff and Mary Clarke as she walked in a St Louis charity fashion show to support her friend with cancer. Mary Clarke later said about the discovery: "She was a baby. But she had that walk. We didn't want to change a thing". That walk came to be one of the most talked about in the world of modelling. Carolina Herrera defined Karlie's runway movement as the movement of 'a cat' in 2011, stating: "I love the way she walks. For me, it's more important than beauty." Of course, there's no denying that Karlie does hold a natural beauty, which along with her mesmerising catwalk presence, has resulted in her Victoria's Secret Angel status and a Marc Jacob's bag named in her honour.
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Karlie walks at this year's Victoria's Secret Runway Show

Part of Karlie's charm is her towering height and lean frame- she told W Magazine this July: "My sisters have always been these gorgeous glamazons, and I’m, like, this tall skinny stick in the family.... Every time I see Karl Lagerfeld, he’s always, like 'Karlie, have you stopped growing yet?" Karlie admits that she used to dislike her height, yet says it turned out to be her best asset, in her own words: "How uniquely weird I am". Her 6 ft 1 inch form undoubtedly contributes to the allure of her unparalleled walk, as her background in classical ballet training too attributes to her style. "You learn to control every aspect of your muscles, your face, your toes, your fingernails. And that is how you tell a story, through movement", says Karlie herself.
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Karlie for Stella McCartney at London Fashion Week '12

From signing with Elite models in 2007, to joining modelling agency giant NEXT the following year, Karlie described her transportation into fame in WWD magazine, saying: "Doors opened for me and I ran for it.” She also gushed in her modest, grounded way: "I never imagined myself doing this". Karlie has followed a literal journey into world-wide fame, working her way through numerous brands to be where she is today. One of her first modelling stints was for laidback US label, Abercrombie, which led to her 2007 catwalk debut for Calvin Klein's Spring/Summer 2008 season in New York. Fast forward five years, and Karlie has a reminiscent archive of twelve Vogue covers. Memorably, she has posed as a Russian doll for photography-legend Tim Walker and gorged on fries and milkshake for Terry Richardson's 'After Hours' diner-inspired shoot. Karlie's most recent Vogue cover was this September, when she posed in a selection of clashing, geometreical prints, exuding a 90's, Cindy Crawford-esque vibe.
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Karlie is as envied for her wardrobe as she is for her impossibly lean legs. While she is a dedicated fan to the designs of Jason Wu and Alexander Wang, her stint with Kate Moss for Mango's A/W '12 campaign demonstrates that she very much suits the finest in high-street clothing. One of Karlie's hobbies is biking, which obviously contributes to her model-perfect, athletic figure. Because she is tall and straight up and down, Karlie can wear pretty much anything and pull it off, though she occasionally favours a peplum to add curves to her slim frame. She is not afraid to experiment with colour: the hot pink, Jason Wu floor-skimmer she wore to this year's Met Gala comes straight to mind! Despite her height, daring pairs of heels are a big yes in Karlie's eyes- who wouldn't want to parade those pins?!
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Karlie for Mango AW12

Wearing Jason Wu to this year's Met Gala

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Another vibrant frock by Wu- who else could pull off canary yellow?!-complimented perfectly by red lippy!

Whatever she throws on in the morning- because her style does look that enviably effortless- Karlie works it on and off duty. In the daywear section of her wardrobe, she covets moto leather jackets and matching beat-up boots, luxe t-shirts, sweet floral dresses and trusty blazers. Whether she is papped on the street or on the red carpet, her look is always flawless, yet her individual personality shines through. Alexander Wang himself called Karlie: "a rare balance of beauty and personality". Karlie's angelic face clashed with the slight edginess that comes with being a top-class model means that she suits a blend of soft and tough wardrobe pieces. Take the photographs from the Free People Spring '12 lookbook, in which Karlie gallivants around The Big Apple in a selection of beautiful apparel. In the below picture, a leather bag and spiked layered necklaces add a rock 'n' roll edge to Karlie's sequin crop top and effeminate maxi skirt. Below that, a low-backed breton-striped top is toughened up with leather pants and ankle booties. Whether Karlie is photographed channeling a plaid shirt, denim cut-offs or a strapless frock, she carries a unique, often bohemian, born-to-be-a-model vibe.

Free People Lookbook Spring '12

Karlie's taste in directional designers emphasises her experimental, original outlook on fashion. Karlie is definitely all about the girl wearing the dress rather than the dress wearing the girl. Whether she intends to or not, she does not let an outfit do the talking, instead making an impression with her own features, posture and charisma. In an interview with The Mail, Karlie credited the late Alexander McQueen for the best piece of advice she has ever recieved. About to walk onto McQueen's runway, she recalled feeling anxious that she would catch her shoes on the long gown she was wearing. McQueen told her, she said: "'Don’t worry, Karlie; if it does (get caught), just take it off and throw it, throw the dress. Remember -YOU own the dress, the dress does not own you!' Karlie has swiftly become my joint favourite VS angel- alongside the adorable Miranda Kerr- because of her intriguing level-headed, fun and compassionate personality. She inevitably has a thrifty side, admitting: "As much as I enjoy and appreciate luxury items, I'm also a total cheapskate. I'm always throwing in a hat from H&M or a Forever 21 T-shirt." Karlie, I would love to go on an H&M and Forever 21 splurge if you're available?! Another part of Karlie's charming personality is her willingness to help others- the proceeds of her famous Karlie's Kookies benefit hungry children around the world through FEED projects. The special recipe Kookies, invented in collaboration with Momofuku Milk Bar to sell at DKNY Soho's Fashion Night Out, even consider those with diet requirements, being gluten and dairy free! Sweet Karlie even takes her kookies to share at photo shoots and fittings! Karlie has expressed her love for children; she would no doubt be a cute home-baking kind of mother! When asked about her dream job (if she wasn't modelling, obviously!) Karlie replied that she would want to follow in her father's footsteps and become a doctor. "I think to have the skill set and the ability to physically help others in matters of life and death must be incredibly empowering", she said. Is there anything unlikeable about this girl?! I have a new girl crush.
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Who needs pretzels when there's Karlie's Kookies??!

Relaxed off-duty plaid at Paris Fashion Week '12

A scarlet vixen for the CDFA's 2011 in a floor-grazing Jason Wu gown

Geek-chic elegance: in a sheer and lace shirt dress and tortoise-shell glasses at this year's CDFA's